WORLD CUP SPECIAL: BREWVIEW ON WÄLS SÃO FRANCISCO

TO CELEBRATE THE WORLD’S LARGEST SPORTING EVENT, what better beers to BrewView than beers from Brazil (the host country of this year’s WORLD CUP?)

In a very special collaboration with specialty beer importer ARTISANAL IMPORTS, we are very fortunate and pleased to bring you our BrewViews on 3 WORLD CLASS beers from WÄLS CERVEJARIA. For the rest of June, we’ll be BrewViewing Belô São Francisco Brazilian Dubbel, Belô Ipê Brazilian Quadrupel, and Belô Petroleum Brazilian Imperial Stout. Today’s BrewView will be on SÃO FRANCISCO.

ABOUT WÄLS CERVEJARIA

In the past few years, Wäls has become one of the most respected breweries in the world, their influence being felt outside of Brazil. Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery collaborated on a beer with them, joining the Brothers Carneiro in the sugar cane fields to harvest and refine sugar for the first sugar cane beer. At the prestigious Mondial de la Bière competition in Montréal, Quebec, Wäls was awarded an unprecedented 5 medals, including Platinum for their Brazilian Imperial Stout Belô Petroleum.

The beers of Wäls are bold, but balanced. They are often reinterpretations of classic styles brewed with uniquely South American ingredients, which lend surprising colors, scents and flavors. A deft hand in the brewhouse makes beers that are at once drinkable but memorable. With no doubt, Brazil’s craft brewing scene is exploding!

CRAFT BEER WITHOUT BOUNDARIES BY THE BROTHERS CARNEIRO

Brothers Tiago and Jose Felipe Carneiro started early, brewing alongside their father as teenagers. They are a passionate duo, with ideas and techniques far off the beaten path. Their brewery is located in the city of Belô Horizonte and was the first in the country to feature a tasting room.

It is this city that gives their beers their brand: Belô. Translated as “beautiful, fine, handsome or lovely” It is all these terms describe the elegant beers of Wäls.

“We produce works of art that can also be called specialty beers. Our line of products is inspired by the traditional schools of Belgian, English and Czech style brewing.”

BEER STYLE AND COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION FROM WÄLS CERVEJARIA

Style category: Belgian-Style Abbey / Trappist Dubbel

Taste: Full of dark dried fruit, South American raisins, caramel and spicy aromas. Medium carbonation with great balance, moderate alcohol and complex character. Deep brown color with a toffee cream head. Lacing is thick with sheets of tight bubbles that roll around your glass.

On the name: “São Francisco is the name of the neighborhood in which our brewery is located. The meaning in English is Saint Francis, who is known to have preached to birds. The name came about when we were sipping our Belgian Dubbel in our garden and suddenly a parrot appeared! It watched us until we finished the last drop of beer and then it flew away. It can happen to you, when you open a Belô São Francisco!”

OUR BREWVIEW OF WÄLS CERVEJARIA- SÃO FRANCISCO BRAZILIAN DUBBEL

APPEARANCE / THE POUR:
7.5 % ABV. Poured into a Trappist goblet, and served at 45°F. Pours a classic, murky brown color. It is bottle conditioned, and of course we poured the yeast sediment into the glass! The head poured a one-and-a-half finger height, which collapsed somewhat quickly (we ensured this was a “Beer Clean” glass). As the head collapses, it does leave behind good Brussels lacing in the glass. The color is light tan, tight and even bubbled. The meniscus is medium to slow rising, which is a very good sign for a beer at 7.5% ABV.

AROMA / BOUQUET:
São Francisco has the classic, Abbey / Trappist Dubbel aromas- chocolate, dark fruit, (raisins, figs, dates) deep caramel, treacle toffee, and a fresh yeast bouquet. There is a VERY slight buttery, banana character to it. As the beer warms up a bit, the raisiny-yeasty-buttery-toffee bouquet is expressed more. Do a blind aroma / bouquet test against some of the classic Abbey or Trappist Dubbels against this one… you’ll be surprised.

MOUTHFEEL / PALATE:The carbonation level is appropriate for this style of beer. Not too aggressive but enough to give the mouthfeel a nice fullness. It hits the front of the tongue, and fills up the back of the mouth with its richness. The aftertaste / finish is burnt toffee, raisins and chocolate- but on the lighter side… not too heavy. Very smooth, it has a nice silkiness.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:
São Francisco is a great example of a Belgian-style Abbey / Trappist Dubbel… and they call it a “Brazilian” Dubbel… ya gotta love their national pride! It has all the sights, aromas, and tastes that compare it to the classic Belgian Dubbels. Our extreme thanks to ARTISANAL IMPORTS collaborating with Belgian Beer Journal to make this beer review possible. It is a must have, seek this one out for sure! And again, do a blind tasting against the classic Dubbels… you’ll be surprised. Muito bom!